Employee Spotlight – Nathan Yates

Meet Nathan Yates, Director in Development at Treaty Oak. We asked Nathan to provide a brief bio, why he is interested in the industry, and what made Treaty Oak Clean Energy the right organization for him.

 

 

What is your professional background?

I’ve been in the energy industry in some form or fashion for over 15 years, spending the last 5+ years developing utility-scale solar + storage and wind assets totaling over a GW in the ERCOT, MISO, and SPP regions for RWE Renewables. In my new role with Treaty Oak, I’ll oversee due diligence and development functions for our portfolio of utility scale solar and battery energy storage projects through permitting, environmental review, interconnection, engagement with local officials, and overall scheduling.

 

Prior to entering the renewables arena, I represented property owners and exploration companies within the oil & gas and real estate sectors as an attorney and land manager through surface and subsurface leasing, title examination, and right-of-way acquisition. I also founded the royalty acquisition company, Thirtyleaf Ventures, in 2014 as a vehicle to buy and sell producing interests, allowing landowners across five states the opportunity to monetize their assets.

 

I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Distribution from the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University and am a licensed attorney, earning my JD from Texas Tech University School of Law.

 

Why are you interested in the renewable / clean energy industry?

I’ve said for a long time that so much of life is about balance.  The conversation around energy and economic development is a complex one, and decisions establishing from which sources we derive energy are more important than ever.  Finding the right balance between producing energy from some traditional fuel sources versus utilizing technological advances to deploy more renewable energy such as solar and battery storage is a necessary and timely exercise, and the stage is undeniably set for renewables to play a major role in an energy transition away from some of these traditional sources to reduce our carbon footprint.  I am passionate in the belief that a strategic, timely, and common-sensical approach to our current energy evolution is paramount to a healthy and prosperous future, not only for our country but for the global community as a whole.

 

What made Treaty Oak Clean Energy the right organization for you? 

With a proven track record of success, Treaty Oak Clean Energy has shown a thorough yet nimble siting and development approach to bringing utility-scale solar and battery storage projects to the industry. I am more than excited to join this team of extremely talented professionals to advance this strategic and thoughtful approach to siting and developing renewable energy projects throughout our country.